Congratulations to Patty Malcolm

The one thing you quickly learn putting together a book like The Gilmore Girls Companion is that for every story an episode of a show like Gilmore tells, there are a dozen real-life stories going on behind the scenes. And if you follow those real-life stories long enough, you can’t help but root for all the people involved.

For years, actress Patty Malcolm had the fascinating, yet in many ways thankless job of being Lauren Graham’s stand-in on Gilmore. As I’m sure you will appreciate once you read the book, that entailed so much more than most people outside of Hollywood, or indeed outside of the Gilmore Girls set, understand. (For a taste of that, check out this earlier entry.)

Patty put in her own grueling hours, learned her lines, and tackled many other tasks that most people never even think about, and did it without the accolades that come with being an on-camera actor. (“Welcome to our world,” I hear the Gilmore Girls crew shout in unison.)

Sure, she did turn up a few times on screen on Gilmore Girls for just a few seconds, but she went right back to her stand-in work. When Gilmore ended, she went on to other shows in the same capacity, waiting for that elusive break.

Which is why it was so great to hear that a few days ago she finally got the chance to shoot a co-star part on Criminal Minds. She’s quick to point out it’s only one line, but in this business, one line on screen can lead to big things later on, and represents a big step forward all on its own. For the most part, any actor you know on television today started somewhere with a single line or two.

So keep your eyes peeled for episode 5.7 of Criminal Minds, “The Performer.” You can also catch Bush frontman/Mr. Gwen Stefani Gavin Rossdale on that episode. And if you think Patty is the only Gilmore veteran on Criminal Minds, think again. Key set costumer Valerie Campbell, known to practically everybody she meets as a the female MacGyver for her ability to make anything out of anything, works tirelessly behind the scenes on that series, too.

Awesomeness alert over. Mind how you go.

Update: Yep, Patty’s definitely on a roll. News just came that she’s now booked the role of Ann Heron in episode 5.10 of Criminal Minds.  “It’s a nice role.. I get attacked,” as she put it. This really is a crazy business

And the Band Played On and On and On

Reliving what has to be my favorite episode: “I Get a Sidekick Out of You,” as I work on the Season 6 chapter of The Gilmore Girls Companion. Here Amy once again creates the perfect Gilmore Girls cocktail: three parts humor to one part drama. Like all true maestros of their craft, she pulls off here something that looks extremely simple. The next season will prove just how difficult this formula actually is to duplicate…

There are a couple of really funny stories behind this episode — one of the longest to shoot — that I’m sure you’re going to enjoy. And now, back to the book.

Lost My Marbles? No, Found Marbles!

One of the great pleasures of transcribing interviews for this book is being reminded of all the great details that people are kind enough to share.

I'm about a quarter way through my talk with casting director Mara Casey, and she mentions this great character. Take a look, think Gilmore Girls, and tell me who this is. Yet another Gilmore Girls alum with talents that go far beyond Stars Hollow. You can find more "Marbles" at her MySpace page. Enjoy!

Unique Perspectives: Take 2

The more I learn about what went into the making of Gilmore Girls, the more I realize what a perfect storm of talent was involved in this program’s creation.

Yesterday afternoon I had the great pleasure to speak with Patty Malcolm, who not only served as Lauren Graham’s stand-in for more than 5 years, but also appeared on camera several times, too.

Like many people, I was woefully ignorant about what stand-ins do on set, let alone on the set of Gilmore Girls. I don’t think it will surprise anyone to learn that Patty had more to do than anyone in the audience ever realized. Just one example: she had to learn huge chunks of the dialogue that Lauren delivered!

Oh how I love this project — I learn something new about this series every day!

Gilmore Girls: Unique Perspectives

It’s been a busy week of perpetual deadlines, both with the dayjob and on The Gilmore Girls Companion front. That said, I didn’t want to let another day pass without pulling back the curtain a bit on the researching of this book.

If you’ve been following this project for any length of time, you’ll know that the goal of this book is to provide Gilmore Girls fans with more than a glorified episode guide or someone’s thoughts on the series. While such things certainly have their place on the book shelf, The Gilmore Girls Companion seeks to tell the complete (as much as possible) story of how this remarkable show was made, and to demonstrate how each individual’s unique talents made it the modern classic that it’s become.

That said, I would like to make it clear that if the book succeeds in accomplishing this, it will be because of the patience (not to mention long memories) of the many people — both in front of and behind the camera — who have spoken to me about their time bringing Stars Hollow to life.

In this last week, I feel I’ve gained a clearer insight into how the weekly-miracle that was Gilmore Girls came together, thanks to Gilmore Girls costumer Valerie Campbell. Though I kept her on her cell phone until its battery was exhausted (!), she never suggested that I kept her on the phone too long, nor that any question was too goofy.

So thank you, Valerie, and thanks to everyone else who has taken the time to explain the inner workings of this unique world to me. Without you all, and without all of the many thoughtful questions I’ve received from Gilmore Girls fans from around the world, there would be no book.